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Liberals, opposition still hopeful on electoral reform compromise

OTTAWA—Liberal insiders say the government has not given up on a possible compromise on a new electoral system, despite comments this week from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Canadians’ appetite for reform has waned now that Stephen Harper is out of office.

Trudeau stoked anxiety among advocates for a new electoral system this week, telling Le Devoir that Canadians were more satisfied with his government and may not be as motivated to change how they elect MPs.

The prime minister was forced to re-commit Thursday to the electoral reform project.

“That’s a commitment we made in our (2015 election platform) that I continue to be deeply committed to,” Trudeau told reporters Thursday.

But critics and commentators worried Trudeau was signalling the Liberals would abandon their promise to do away with the first-past-the-post system, which allows parties to form majority governments without the support of a majority of voters.

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The common refrain in Ottawa is getting rid of first-past-the-post could actually hurt the Liberals politically. The system handed Trudeau a majority with just over 39 per cent of the vote, as it had for former prime minister Stephen Harper in 2011.

The assumption is an alternative system — such as a proportional representation system that more accurately reflects the votes cast — would not benefit the Liberals as much as the status quo.

But Mark Holland, the parliamentary secretary for democratic institutions, said he remains hopeful that an all-party consensus on the issue can be reached.

“There’s a lot of points to commonality to work from,” Holland said Friday.

“The desire for change (among Canadians) is really high, and I’d say the principles that people are looking for are pretty clear . . . . There’s still a long way to go, (but) the rubber is hitting the road now.”

The Conservatives have been adamant they will not sign off on any major changes to the system without a nation-wide referendum.

But Conservative MP Scott Reid said that it’s possible the committee can accommodate that bottom line, while still having a new system in place by the 2019 election.

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“Not only am I optimistic, I have a very specific recipe for doing that,” Reid said Thursday.

“Every party has stated its bottom line . . . (and if) everybody agrees not to add any new position to their existing bottom line, then you clearly have a recipe for consensus.”

Reid envisions the Conservatives getting their referendum, the New Democrats and Green Party getting some form of proportional representation on the ballot, and the Liberals being able to make good on their promise of a new system by 2019 — should Canadians vote for that system.

NDP MP Nathan Cullen said Trudeau’s comments felt like a “kick in the gut,” just as the electoral reform committee starts negotiations on their final report.

But Cullen said he spoke to PMO staff and Liberal politicians as late as Friday, and they indicated a willingness to work out a compromise.

“Do I remain hopeful? I do, (but) I’m not naive,” Cullen said Friday.

“I believe (Democratic Institutions Minister Maryam Monsef) is committed to it, I believe the people on that committee get it and I think that somewhere in his heart of hearts, Justin Trudeau is also a believer. But the proof is in the pudding.”

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May said all parties on the committee are hoping to continue to work by consensus, even as the difficult closed-door negotiations on the final report begin.

“I’m not going to let my preferred system of proportional representation get in the way of getting rid of first-past-the-post,” May said Friday.

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